Sam’s grip tightened as his cock started to pulse in her ass, and Gage groaned. Hot semen filled her pussy as she shuddered from another orgasm. Sam stilled for a moment and then curved around her. His sharp teeth scraped against her supple skin before they sank in. Gage joined him and bit down on her a moment later. Her pussy and ass contracted as a vortex of pleasure engulfed her. She couldn’t move as the storm of her climax engulfed her. Just as the orgasm became overwhelming, they released her and Sam pulled her to the side of Gage, and they cuddled her. Sam licked her bite wounds, and she shivered in delight. She knew now that by the time they got up to shower, the bite marks would be gone. They both kissed her and caressed her skin as she sank into a peaceful sleep.
Chapter Fourteen
Gage held his hand out to Avery to help her out of the truck, while Sam reached into the back of the truck and picked up Rylee. She’d fallen asleep on the drive out to the farm where they’d spend the day eating and visiting with the family that Sam’s pack protected.
Two dogs bounded around the barn and ran at them, barking with their tails wagging and their tongues lolling out of their mouths. They ran circles around them and then sat at Gage’s feet with their tails wagging so fiercely, their entire butts moved. They whimpered and whined as they jostled for the one who would get attention first.
Rylee raised her head from Sam’s shoulder and looked around. She drew her arms in and tucked her head closer into Sam. His strong hand, which easily covered her entire back, patted her gently. He whispered in her hear, and Rylee nodded.
The sight had Avery smiling tenderly at the pair. He was a lethal predator, but with her baby, he was a gentle and caring father. Her baby knew he would keep her safe, and Avery wasn’t the sole person that Rylee turned to anymore. She thought that she might feel bad that Rylee trusted someone as much as her, but she found it to be freeing.
Gage petted both dogs for a moment, and then he stood and put his arm around her as several people came out of the house. Sam held Rylee with one arm and shook the older gentleman’s hand with the other. “Dean, it’s good to see you again. This is my fiancée, Avery, and you’ve met Gage.”
Dean’s gaze took her in, and he smiled. “Good luck with these two, sugar. You’re gonna need it.”
Avery glanced up at Gage, and he smiled. “He knows we often marry in a ménage relationship.”
Sam bounced Rylee a bit. “And this shy little one is Rylee. I’m afraid she’s a little overwhelmed, so this may be all that you see of her.”
Dean smiled. “She sure is a cutie. She reminds me of Addy when we first got her. She was grieving when we got her, and she just wanted to go home. She only took to Karen for months, and I am pretty sure she bribed her with chocolate.” Dean kept his distance from Sam and Rylee as if he knew the best thing he could possibly do was give Rylee space and time.
“You’re here.” A hugely pregnant woman stepped out of the house. Her dark hair gleamed in the sun, and she patted her legs. “Gus, Rufus, come here.”
The dogs ran back to her with their tongues hanging out of their mouths.
She grinned up at Sam and Rylee. “They won’t hurt you. They just get excited.”
“Do you want to pet them?” Sam patted Rylee’s back as she tried to meld her body to his. Rylee shook her head no, and Sam gave Rachel an apologetic smile. “She may get used to them.”
“They’ll calm down in a little while. Big dogs can be frightening for little kids.”
“Sam!” An older woman stepped out of the house. “Rachel told me you were coming. I am so glad you accepted our invitation to eat with us.”
He stood back up and walked toward the older woman. “I wouldn’t miss it, Karen.”
Sam pointed at Gage and Avery. “This is my brother, Gage, and our fiancée, Avery.”
Karen’s smile grew when she spotted Gage holding Avery close to him. “So, this is the woman that captured Sam and Gage Dalton’s hearts. Rachel told me that hearts all across Dixieland were breaking now that you two are off the market.”
Gage stepped forward and took off his cowboy hat. “Ma’am.” He held his hand out and took Karen’s. She pulled him and gripped his arms. “Oh, don’t you try that old stuffy polite stuff with me. You and Sam are family.”
Gage blushed a bit and hugged the enthusiastic woman while Avery wrung her hands together. She glanced over at Rylee, who was still hiding against Sam’s chest. This had been a hard few days for her. They’d been careful not to let her see the house, and just brought over some toys for her. Still, Rylee pointed at the door a few times in a way that made it clear she wanted to go home. She was beginning to shut down again as she had every time they moved.
Karen turned to Avery and held out her hand. “Hello, I’m Karen Dawson.” She pointed at the dark-haired pregnant woman. “Rachel’s mom. You and your little one are very welcome here. We’re so glad you came.”
“Thank you,” Avery said quietly. She looked up at the grand house and worried she’d not dressed well enough. It reminded her of a Southern plantation house. The large porch wrapped around the two-story house, and the main staircase led to a large entry door that was surrounded by brass and etched glass windows. She felt a little dirty and wished they’d just stayed at Sam’s and gotten some frozen dinners or something.
“I mean that.” Karen waved around her. “This farm and house is completely kid-friendly. There is nothing important down where the little one can hurt anything. Just relax and enjoy yourself.”
Avery nodded, but her gaze moved back to Rylee and Sam. He was rubbing her back and whispering in her ear, but she still did her best to meld with him. If anyone tried to talk to her, she shook in fear.
Gage gave Avery an encouraging smile and rubbed her back. “None of this is unexpected, remember. We knew this would be very hard on her. Sam is keeping her calm so she doesn’t have any flashbacks. Everything is fine.”
Avery let out a big sigh and nodded. “This is all so new to me. I’m used to having to do it all alone.”
Gage placed a tender kiss on her lips. “Never again.” Then they followed Karen, Rachel, and the enthusiastic dogs into the house. The staircase leading up to the second floor was exquisite. It was made to look like an early 1800s staircase but with modern-day safety standards. She could get lost in this house just staring at the woodwork and absorbing the detail.
“Make yourself at home,” Rachel said as a large man came up behind her and put his arms around her. His hands roamed over her pregnant stomach, and he kissed her neck.
“I’m glad you came.” He stood to his full height, and Avery would have backed up but Gage was right behind her. The man frightened her, and she wasn’t sure why. Her senses just screamed danger to her.
“We weren’t going to miss one of your mother-in-law’s meals, Devon.” Sam held his hand out and they shook it. Something seemed familiar about Devon, and she couldn’t help but stare.
His gaze caught hers, and he looked to Sam first. “May I?”
Sam nodded. “Of course, how rude of me. This is our mate, Avery, and our youngling, Rylee.”
Devon took her hand in his and placed a kiss on her knuckles. “It is a pleasure to meet the woman who captured these two scoundrels.”
Gage punched Devon, none too gently, in the chest. “Who’s calling who a scoundrel?”
Sam’s gaze stayed locked on Rylee. “Let’s not play in front of our youngling. She’s frightened enough, and she may not realize you two are friends. The calmer we can remain, the better it is for her.”
“Of course, I should know this by now.” Gage pulled Avery tighter to him and kissed her lightly on the top of her head.
Another man walked in and stood close to Devon. “Hello, I am Kieran, Devon and Rachel’s mate.” He held his hand out to Avery and she took it.
“I am Avery.”
“She is our fated mate.” Sam finished for her. “We brought our youngling, Rylee, to see if the healers can help her.”
Devon patted her. “She’s so tiny and fragile. I don’t dare try to tamper with anything. That’s all best left to the experts.”
“I agree.” Sam nodded. “I’ve given her some of the tea the healer made for her to help keep her calm. I don’t dare tamper with anything else.”
“Good idea.” Devon winked at her, and they walked outside with the dogs following them.
Gage kept ahold of Avery’s hand as Devon led Rachel and Kieran off.
“Who are they?” Avery watched them go.
“That’s Devon and Kieran. The woman is their mate, Rachel. Her parents do not know about us, but they’re open and accepting of a ménage relationship. Just don’t talk about anything regarding Supernaturals, Vampires, or Lycans. Sam would just have to remove the memories from them.”
“Okay.” She didn’t have any trouble keeping her mouth shut. It was all too weird still to talk about, and she had trouble believing it was all real, even after the long conversation with her best friend, Brandy, last night.
Brandy had left her new boyfriend’s house last night to come out and explain the basics of Vampire and Lycan culture to her, and she gave more details about what the pack did. They were the protectors of humans, and their packs were scattered around the country. The Dawson family had special protection since their daughter mated a Vampire Mortef hated.
Avery tried to concentrate on happy things today instead of what she’d learned last night from Sam, Gage, and Brandy. Today was a celebration, and all the hard times would be there once they were done feasting.
The house smelled delicious with the savory scents of lasagna, ham, and bread baking in the oven. The noises that filled the home were music to Avery’s ears as she helped bake in the kitchen.
She concentrated on slicing the apples as Karen kept an eye on her. “What do you mean you can’t cook? You’re a natural!” Karen’s face glowed as she watched the apple slices pile up in the bowl with brown sugar and cinnamon.
“I never really learned. I can boil water and cook from a box. That’s about it.”
“Well, now you can make pie, too.”
“Mama will have you baking like Julia Child if you come around enough.” Rachel scraped the green beans into the mushroom soup mixture as she talked.
“I’m not sure if I can.” Avery had found herself in the midst of a strange world, and she wasn’t sure of the rules. She only knew she’d never been happier before and didn’t want to mess it up.
“Of course you can.” Karen stopped for a moment. “I am not that far from Shadetree. I want to see this beautiful child of yours more often. She would love playing out here with all the animals.”
Rachel winked. “Don’t let their dominating nature fool you. You have them wrapped around your finger. You simply flutter your eyelashes at them and smile sweetly, and if that fails, flash them some boob. That is sure to work.”
Avery laughed just as Sam walked in. “Boobs always work on me, baby.” He winked at Avery. “Flash me some skin, and I will do whatever you’d like.” He reached into the fridge and grabbed a beer out for him and handed another one to Gage.
Gage walked up behind Avery. “That goes double for me. You’re free to go anywhere you please. You just need to remember to plan ahead and take guards with you, like me.”
Avery leaned her head against his chest, and he curled his fingers under her chin and tilted her head to bring her in for a kiss. Their lips met, and with a click, her world righted itself again. Touching them, kissing them, and making love centered her in ways she’d not known possible. Just their touch and assurance that they loved her was enough to ground her and bring her sense of safety back.
* * * *
After supper was over, and the mess was cleaned up, Karen and Dean went out back to enjoy the fresh night air as Rylee sat in Gage’s lap and stared sleepily into the fire in the fireplace. As Devon, Sam, and Gage talked, something nagged at Avery. It was right there and she couldn’t remember what.
Kieran walked in holding Rachel’s hand, and she went to Devon and climbed in his lap. It was so interesting to see how Rachel handled two cavemen at once. She often rolled her eyes while Devon’s smoldering stare followed her. “You won’t be pregnant forever, mate, and I’m keeping count of your ass whoopin’ later.”
Rachel grinned and shimmied her ass at him. “I can’t wait,” was her typical reply. She had said Devon and Kieran were both full-blooded Vampires. Unlike what Avery had read in books and seen in movies, Vampires weren’t created but born, and Devon was Vampire royalty. His power-hungry uncle, Mortef, murdered his father and attempted to take over the largest coven until Devon and his nest defied him by forming an alliance with the Lycans.
She glanced from Devon to Sam, and her mouth fell open as it finally hit her and she remembered parts of Evelyn’s conversation. Devon and Sam and Gage were half-brothers! Did they even know? Surely, someone made the connection, but then it had been kept a secret to protect Evelyn’s honor. Even in this open-minded society, cheating on one’s mate was frowned upon apparently.
Devon finally patted Rachel’s thigh. “Did you say your good-byes to your family?”
“Yes. Addy’s off with her boyfriend, and Mom and Dad are about ready to go to bed.”
“We’re leaving now?” Avery tried to imagine driving all night and groaned inwardly at the uncomfortable night ahead.
“Yeah,” Devon said with a grin as if he heard her internal grumbling. “My plane is gassed up and ready to go. We’ll be in North Carolina in a couple hours, and my plane seats are nice and comfy if you want a nap.”
Her eyes widened, and she stared from Devon to Sam. “He…he…he—”
“Can hear your thoughts,” Sam finished for her. “Be careful what you think about around him. He likes to play. I think I liked him better when he was more of a brooder instead of this happy guy that’s in touch with his feelings.”
* * * *
The room was warm despite the chill of fall in the air outside. Leaves scattered the ground and the colors were beautiful, but in the room, Avery held Rylee close to her. She shivered in her lap, and Avery struggled to not stand up and demand to fly home. Rylee was at her absolute breaking point now, even with the tea. She’d been sleeping in strange beds and meeting so many new people, all of the things that triggered her episodes. Thankfully, the tea did keep her flashbacks at bay, but she’d pulled into her own shell, like a frightened turtle, and barely even made eye contact with any of them now.
She jumped when Sam’s hand rested on her back. “It’s okay, Avery. We knew this would be hard on her, remember. The healer is going to help her.”
A woman walked in, followed by three men, and the last one closed the door.
“Hello,” the woman said. She had silver hair of an old woman, but her skin was flawlessly young. “I’m Enon, and this is my mate, the healer, Yerel.”
Yerel waved, and his wise eyes had laugh lines as if he smiled a lot. He caught Rylee’s attention and smiled for her. He crouched down to her eye level. “Hello, Rylee. You’ve come a long way to see me. Did you fly on a plane?”
Avery looked down at Rylee and wasn’t surprised she’d shut down. Rylee was a smart girl and knew the routine of therapists. Her eyes went from Yerel to Enon and then to the other two men in the room.
“You’re wondering who they are, huh?” He chuckled when Rylee’s eyes zoomed back to him in surprise. “Yes, Rylee. I can hear you in there, and so can he.” Yerel gestured to another man in a robe with blond short hair. “That is Encar. He is going to look at you today and see if we can’t get you feeling better.”
As Rylee shrunk into Avery, Yerel met her gaze. “This next part is going to be very
hard for you. I want to assure you, Enon is going to help her calm down, and then Rylee won’t remember any of this. She has to be awake though. The brain works differently when it’s asleep.”
“What are you going to do?” Avery clasped Rylee closer to her, and Rylee started to shake a little.
Encar stepped forward. “I’ve spoken to Chiron at length, and he’s shared with me his findings. I am going to repair the damaged areas of Rylee’s brain and Johan here”—he put his hand on the third man’s shoulder—“is going to start working with Rylee to help her remember how to use her voice. We all feel part of the problem is Rylee’s grown used to not speaking. If we just started therapy without fixing the problem though, she’d relapse the next time something frightened her enough.”
“Do you really think you can fix her?” Avery glanced from the group of healers to her mates and bit down on her lower lip.
“Yes,” Encar said confidently. “This is all very treatable and she will be acting more like a normal four-year-old very soon.”
Yerel glanced up at Sam and then Gage. “So are we ready?”
Avery braced herself as they placed their hands in hers in comforting solidarity.
“Yes, let’s get this done,” Gage said quietly.
Yerel smiled and then gripped Rylee under her arms. “Come here sweet one.”
Rylee stiffened and then screamed. Her feet kicked and her arms outstretched toward Avery with her eyes wide and bulging.
Avery started to rise to go to her baby, but Sam and Gage held her back. “It’s okay, love. Let them work. You’d only be in the way up there. There is no easy way to do this.” Sam stroked her back, but refused to allow her to get up and go to Rylee as she screamed and struggled with Yerel.
Gage lifted her hand to his lips. “She won’t remember this, and when it’s all over, she’ll be on the road to healing. It will be okay.”
Avery shoved her fist against her lips as she tried to keep herself from screaming at them give me my baby! Only Sam and Gage’s strong arms around her kept her in her chair.
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